Precise audio editing: Edit mono, stereo, and multichannel audio files (up to 32 channels) to the sample level in real time. Use familiar Windows commands to cut, copy, paste, mix, and crossfade audio. Drag audio between channels and work on one file while processing others in the background.

Powerful audio recording: Sound Forge Pro 10 software has a complete set of tools for recording audio. Record directly into your soundcard or use the Record Timer to begin and end a session at a specific time and date. Alternatively, you can start recording when a certain audio threshold is reached with Threshold Record Triggering. You can also record and edit multichannel audio files as easily as stereo files.

Zplane élastique Pro time stretch DirectX plug-in: Use the élastique time stretch and pitch shift plug-in for pristine audio quality. Choose from various stretching methods that are tailored to your source audio including Pro, Soloist, and Efficient modes. Monitor and adjust settings while previewing.

VST effect support: Native support of VST plug-ins, including parameter automation, expands on the number of effects you can apply to your audio, ultimately increasing your mastering flexibility.

Event-based editing: Audio editing is more efficient and powerful with Sound Forge Pro 10 software. Quickly move and split events, create fades, apply ASR (attack/sustain/release) envelopes and crossfades within a single data window for more precision. Event-based editing provides an easier way to edit edges and fades and is ideal for precise audio mastering, assembling sketches of a project or to lay out tracks for authoring disc-at-once CDs.

Spectrum analysis tools: View frequencies and overtones of different channels within an audio file. The Spectrum Analysis tool shows multiple graphs depending on how many channels are selected. Analyze and see the fundamental frequencies and overtones in your recordings. Monitor audio and effects changes in real time, take multiple snapshots, and overlay views to compare and match frequencies of one file to another.

Interactive Tutorials: Spend less time learning and more time mastering using the new integrated tutorials in Sound Forge Pro 10 software. These tutorials provide walkthrough demonstrations of common features and functionality, including DAO CD burning, vinyl recording and restoration for easy analog to digital conversion, and more.

I've been using Sound Forge since the Sonic Foundry days, and it's only gotten better with every subsequent release. They keep adding more tools and increasing capabilities, and it manages to stay rock steady. It's literally been years since it's crashed on me. Pretty much anything you need to do to audio this can do, and it can work with any format you need. I've dabbled with making my own Acid loops. I've used noise reduction to clean up old cassette tapes I've captured (as well as audio from VHS tapes). You can zoom in to the sample level and fix individual glitches if you have to (but it's click & pop removal tool works quite well too). I always finalize my tracks with it. And version 10 comes with several iZotope mastering plug-ins that are all really nice.

Does everything I need it do right now. I haven't really come close to exploring all of it's features. I decided to expand my many years of recording knowledge and attempt to learn how to master my own mixes (30 years of studio experience now a home studio with a Tascam 2488 24 track DAW). About three years ago I got a copy of Adobe Audition, bought a how to book on Audition and set out to learn how to use it. After several months of frustration I gave up. For me Adobe Audition is not user friendly by any stretch of the imagination. I was highly disappointed. I found myself spending more time consulting the Adobe Audition manual for every little change than getting anything accomplished.

A little over a year ago I went to an all day recording seminar in New York City hosted by a well known engineer/producer who spent part of the day talking about mastering. When he was asked at the end of the day for recommendations on mastering software he recommended T-Racks 3 mastering software. He said it was very user friendly and contained a large number of presets that even allowed musicians with no experience to use easily and get pro results. I got a full funtioning demo copy of T-Racks and discovered he was right. This is excellent software with really great VST plug in modules. (So what has this got to do with Sony Sound Forge 10? Read on.)

About 6 months after getting proficient with my T-Racks a good friend gave me a copy of Sony Sound Forge 10. After my Abode Audition experience I was very hesitant and didnt feel that I needed it (I was really pleased with my T-Racks 3) but it was free and I decided to give it a try. Boy, Im glad I did. First off the interface is like the shareware Audacity on steroids. The ability to expand the wave forms on screen, cut, edit, paste and manipulate files easily is great. Sound Forge allows you to do the most prcis cuts that I have been able to do in any audio software. (It even beats my old analog tape splicing block and razor blades. Atually they sucked, Sound Forge makes it easy.) Unlike Abode Audition, this software is very user friendly and I was able to do a major project the day I got it without even owning a Sound Forge manual. (If you have experience with Audacity you will find the basics of Sony Sound Forge very easy to understand.) The best part for me came just after loading Sound Forge into my system. I was walking through the menus and saw that under Favorites Sound Forge had automatically created a T-Racks 3 folder. Clicking on this folder I saw that all of the great VST plug in gear from T-Racks (compressors, EQs, limiters etc.) was all listed and available just a click away and they work seemlessly in the Sound Forge software! Wow, now I have the best of worlds, a great interface to edit in and some of the awesome VST plug in modules from T-Racks. I have only used a few of the Sony Sound Forge plug ins but the few that I have used seem excellent. I can highly recommend the Wave Hammer to pump up overall volume or even just the highlighted areas of a track. The fade in and fade out features works very smoothly with not noticeable peaks or jerks. The reverbs are very nice with lots of adjustments (maybe too many adjustments) and there probably about 40 more Sony plug ins that I havent even tried yet. Sony Sound Forge took me a giant step closer to being able to professionally master my own recordings. Now its time to see if I possess the talent and the ears. Sony Sound Forge is no more excuses audio software. Everything I can think of to do the job at hand seems to be included.

P.S. Sound Forge also works with Sony Vegas Movie Studio so I can edit (limit, compress, Eq etc.) the sound track of video projects that I create in Vegas Movie Studio.So far no problems. I am using a desktop PC with XP service pack 3. 3 gig of ram with a 2.0 processor and it works great I have to honest. Mine was a present from a friend.